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Resurrection part 3: Daniel’s “end of days” resurrection prophecy

A collective resurrection in the last days of the nation of ancient Israel would culminate not just in restoration to the land, but in eternal life.

Core of the Bible podcast #123 – Resurrection part 3: Daniel’s “end of days” resurrection prophecy

We are continuing the third essay today in a four-part series on the topic of resurrection. So far in our exploration of this far-reaching topic, we have viewed instances of individual, bodily resurrections throughout the Bible. We also looked at what Yeshua taught about all the righteous throughout the history of Israel who were still considered as alive to God, since “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:32). And, if you have not yet reviewed part 2 of this study, you may want to take some time do so as I laid down some foundational ideas about motifs and patterns in the Tanakh there.

Last time, we discussed the judgment/restoration motif or theme of collective resurrection, and how judgment is always mentioned in connection with collective resurrection passages. In the prophecies of Isaiah and Ezekiel, judgment had come to pass because of Israel’s unfaithfulness to the covenant of God, and God removed them from the land (the inheritance). We also saw how the language of resurrection was an indicator of restoration to the land and renewal of the inheritance. It wasn’t describing a literal rising of dead bodies from their graves; it was as if the nation were coming back to life from the dead condition of a wasteland after the preceding judgment. If those were the themes that were laid down as foundations prior to the writings of Daniel, then it makes sense to me those same principles should apply to what he wrote, as well.

So, let’s now look at the final description of a collective resurrection in the Tanakh which is written about in the book of Daniel. This passage is unique from the Isaiah and Ezekiel resurrection passages because the result of the collective resurrection that Daniel mentions has to do with not just restoration to the land, but eternal life.

Daniel 12:2 – Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal contempt.

Interestingly, this description of a collective resurrection seems to parallel identically with the teaching of Messiah:

John 5:28-29 – “Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of condemnation.

I believe for us to understand Daniel better, we will need to view it together with the teachings of Yeshua. Both of these passages have a larger context which can help us gain some of these insights.

Since we are talking about the judgment/resurrection theme, let’s begin by expanding the scope of Yeshua’s statements in John 5:

John 5:24-30 – “Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life. Truly I tell you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he has granted to the Son to have life in himself. And he has granted him the right to pass judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come out – those who have done good things, to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me.”

Notice, as we saw last time with the prophecies of Isaiah and Ezekiel, Yeshua’s mention of a great resurrection is in conjunction with a great judgment. This judgment is identified as death and condemnation, which are both contrasted with life. Whatever this judgment is, Yeshua explains how he is authorized by the Father to facilitate this judgment as simply a matter of carrying out the Father’s will.

Now, if we turn our attention back to Daniel’s prophecy and widen the context of that passage a little, we will see that the resurrection Daniel talks about is also connected to a great judgment:

Daniel 12:1-2 – At that time Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred since there was a nation until that time. But at that time all your people who are found written in the book will be delivered. Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal contempt.

Notice, there would be an unparalleled time of distress in the time of Daniel’s resurrection. It would be a distress to come upon a nation, the nation of Israel, since the angel mentions it would come upon “your [Daniel’s] people”. This is where some modern translations show their bias by saying something like this time would be the worst time of destruction since “any of the nations have ever existed,” or something along those lines. But the Hebrew says “nation” singular, and the context points to Daniel’s people: Israel. So, Daniel appears to be discussing a specific destruction and judgment which would be coming specifically upon his people, Israel. This will be brought out in little bit as we widen the context of Daniel’s prophecy further.

CONTEXT FOR DANIEL’S PROPHECY

Just as we did with Isaiah’s prophecy last time, we have to remember that the original text of Scripture does not have chapter divisions, so if we are to understand the judgment and resurrection of Daniel 12, we need to find out where this particular vision of Daniel begins so we can determine if there is any mention of when this “time of distress” for Daniel’s people was to take place. In the beginning of chapter 10, we read the following:

Daniel 10:1 – In the third year of King Cyrus of Persia, a message was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. The message was true and was about a great conflict. He understood the message and had understanding of the vision.

This same vision of a great conflict spans all of chapters 10 and 11 and then culminates in chapter 12. Throughout the prophecy, we see that the angelic messenger hints at time markers of when in Israel’s history this vision takes place:

Daniel 10:14 – “Now I have come to help you understand what will happen to your people in the last days, for the vision refers to those days.“

So here we see that this vision that Daniel has is going to be taking place to Daniel’s people “in the last days.” In chapter 11 and 12:1 and 4, we receive several more time markers:

Daniel 11:40 – “At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships. He will invade countries and sweep through them like a flood.”

Daniel 12:1-4 – “At that time [the time of the end mentioned at 11:40] Michael, the great prince who stands watch over your people, will rise up. There will be a time of distress such as never has occurred since there was a nation until that time. But at that time all your people who are found written in the book will escape. Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal contempt. Those who have insight will shine like the bright expanse of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. But you, Daniel, keep these words secret and seal the book until the time of the end…”

As captivating as the entirety of Daniel’s vision is, in this study we are focused on the final stage of a collective resurrection and when it was to take place. Throughout the vision this resurrection is described as being at “the time of the end”, “the last days”, “at that time”. But the last days of what? Is it talking about the last days of life on earth as we know it, or possibly something else?

If we continue reading, we see that we receive some additional information that helps to identify these last days.

Daniel 12:5-7 – Then I, Daniel, looked, and two others were standing there, one on this bank of the river and one on the other. One of them said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the water of the river, “How long until the end of these wondrous things? ” Then I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the water of the river. He raised both his hands toward heaven and swore by him who lives eternally that it would be for a time, times, and half a time.When the power of the holy people is shattered, all these things will be completed.

When was the power of the holy people (Israel) shattered “for a time, times, and half a time”? Again, we must keep in mind that this vision is all about Daniel’s people, Israel, and their history and influence within the world. As the holy people of God, those whom he set apart for himself, it seems to me to make sense that it would have to be a time when their “power” was to be shattered, destroyed and spread around, which is what the word means.

I would submit for your consideration that this shattering into pieces and dispersion occurred at the destruction of the second temple in the three and a half years between 67-70 AD (the time, times, and half a time of Daniel’s prophecy) almost two thousand years ago. At that time Jerusalem was completely destroyed, the Jews that survived were permanently removed from the land, and the temple was brought to the ground with “not one stone left upon another”. The destruction of the temple would be the final indication of “when the power of the holy people is shattered”. If Daniel’s prophecy was completed at that time, then that was the conclusive “end of the days”, the last day and the end of the age of the holy people of Daniel’s time: ancient Israel.

Daniel also mentions the great resurrection was to happen “at that time”. In reading about what Yeshua taught, we see he also discussed a resurrection on something he called “the last day”. Daniel’s “last days” and “time of the end” appear to be equated with the “last day” terminology used by Yeshua and in general understanding among the people of his day. Could these two descriptions be describing the same thing?

RESURRECTION AND THE LAST DAY

John 6:39 – “This is the will of him who sent me: that I should lose none of those he has given me but should raise them up on the last day.

That by Yeshua’s day there was already a general conception of this collective resurrection of the dead is evidenced by Martha as she speaks to Yeshua outside the tomb of her recently deceased brother, Lazarus:

John 11:24 – Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection onthe last day.”

I believe Martha’s statement was based on her understanding of Daniel’s collective resurrection. As we saw last time, Yeshua doesn’t correct Martha’s understanding of a collective resurrection, but simply redirects her to an understanding that he himself is the agent of resurrection: “I am the resurrection and the life”. He plainly taught that those who believed in him as the Messiah would receive eternal life, which in Yeshua’s teaching was to be equated with this resurrection life.

In John 6, Yeshua had spoken at length about this resurrection and who would be qualified to participate in it. So, since this “last day rising” seems to be a very specific teaching of Yeshua which is tied to the prophecy of Daniel, let’s take a closer look at how we should be viewing this resurrection perspective which he taught.

John 6:39-40, 44, 54 – And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” … No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. … Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

These four verses in the gospel of John make references to “the last day” that involves a “raising” of some sort as opposed to a possible “losing” of it. Verse 39 states: “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.” In fact, the Greek word used here for lose, apoleso, is used only in this one place in our Greek New Testaments. But it is based on the root appolumi, which can imply a type of destruction, or more accurately, a “losing of something left for destruction”. Looked at in this light, v. 39 can read in a bit more insightful way more literally rendered along these lines:

“And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing [to destruction] of all that he has given me, but [instead] raise it up on the last day.”

So this “all” that was given to Yeshua by God is the subject of the raising, as opposed to destruction. He then goes on to explain who it is who will make up the “all”:

John 6:40 – For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.“

In this passage, Yeshua is here proclaiming the centrality of faith in him as the Messiah as the qualifier for eternal life and this rising on the last day.Those who were to “look on the Son and believe in him” are the participants in the “all” who will be raised “on the last day”.

And this is where we come to what I consider to be a key teaching in the New Testament writings: Everyone who believed in Yeshua in that day were considered to be the true remnant of faithful Israel. That was the contingent with whom God maintained covenant: those who listened to and obeyed his word through his Messiah. That they would be “raised up” on the last day, using the language of national restoration that we learned from Isaiah and Ezekiel, sets the stage for a great restoration of some type for the believing remnant on the last day.

So, now we know from the passage in John who the “all” are who would be raised up in the last day (the faithful remnant of Israel), and we know how they are qualified for this resurrection (i.e., faith in Messiah). It now becomes natural to ask what is the possible destruction or judgment that they are saved from, and when is the “last day” when this rising was to occur. It then follows to understand what does this resurrection/restoration look like? If we return to the vision of Daniel and link his indicators to the teachings of Yeshua, I think we will find the answers to these very important questions.

THE DESTRUCTION/JUDGMENT

What was the destruction or judgment from which Yeshua was saving the faithful remnant?

Daniel 12:7 – When the power of the holy people is shattered, all these things will be completed.

As I have already suggested earlier, the judgment that was imminent in the day of Yeshua and his disciples was the complete annihilation of the city of Jerusalem, and the removal of the temple system, both of which had become extremely corrupt. The power of the holy people was about to be shattered, once and for all time. This theme of the coming judgment was the theme of both John the baptizer and Yeshua:

Matthew 3:7, 10, 12 – But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he [John] said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? … Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. … His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.“

Matthew 4:17 – From then on Yeshua began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

This was to be a judgment on Jerusalem and Israel, not the whole world, as can be seen in the prophecies concerning the resurrection concept. Consider the following statement as Yeshua lashed out against the self-righteous Pharisees and scribes:

Luke 11:50 – …so that the blood of all the prophets [that is, the prophets of Israel], shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation…”

As we are about to explore further, the coming destruction was to be upon Israel collectively and Jerusalem specifically, in that generation. They had rejected God’s continued efforts through his prophets to bring them back to himself, yet they persisted in pursuing the idolatry of national independence over being the light to the nations as the representative Kingdom of God on the earth. Because of this, they would face the complete destruction, not only of their capital, but of the covenantal system of worship that he had provided them. They had broken the covenant by pursuing idolatry and their priesthood had become corrupt; therefore, it would no longer be a viable means of approaching God. Even so, the covenantal priestly system had served its purpose, and its culmination in producing the Messiah was its fulfillment. However, in rejecting the Anointed One of God, his very own son, they were essentially rejecting Yahweh as their ultimate King and Father, and instead they were choosing to set up their own false and idolatrous king and priesthood.

THE TIMING OF THE LAST DAY

Now that we have established what the coming destruction was, it remains for us to find out if these passages tell us when this judgment was to be poured out. The apostles, represented by Peter’s speech on Pentecost, had picked up on this judgment as a day that was to be occurring soon, within that generation:

Acts 2:40 – And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.”

Why were the disciples so focused on that generation? Well, we can see that they were simply following the lead of their Master. A simple search of the phrase “this generation” provides many provocative verses illustrating the fact that Yeshua, along with his disciples, had an urgent sense of imminency, warning the people that this judgment would soon be carried out.

Mark 13:30 – Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

Luke 21:31-32, 34 – So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. … “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.

Once again, this was to be a judgment on Israel, not the whole world, as can be seen in the teachings of the apostles:

Acts 2:14-18 – Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice, and proclaimed to them, “Fellow Jews and all you residents of Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and pay attention to my words. “For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it’s only nine in the morning. “On the contrary, this [what you are seeing and hearing right now] is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: “And it will be in the last days, says God, [that is, the last days of Israel, according to Daniel] that I will pour out my Spirit on all people; then your sons and your daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. I will even pour out my Spirit on my servants in those days, both men and women and they will prophesy.”

Hebrews 1:1-2 – Long ago God spoke to our ancestors by the prophets at different times and in different ways. In these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son…

1 John 2:18 – Children, it is the last hour. And as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. By this we know that it is the last hour.

Peter, under the inspiration of the holy Spirit, prophesied that Joel’s prophecy of the last days was taking place at that time through the pouring out of the Spirit on that day of Pentecost, and that that generation was the one on which judgment was also about to be poured out. The writer of Hebrews says “these last days”, the days in which they were living. John goes even further and says “it is the last hour”.

The destruction of that day, that last day, was to be hanging over that generation in their day, not all generations moving forward for thousands of years. The judgment that was coming upon Jerusalem and the religious system was pointed straight at that specific generation two thousand years ago, and came to pass just as Yeshua predicted when Jerusalem fell to the Roman armies in 68-70 AD; within that generation.

So, now that we have seen what was the judgment to come (the destruction of Jerusalem/temple) and when it was to take place (that generation in the first century, when the power of the holy people was shattered), what was this resurrection and restoration supposed to be?

WHAT THE FINAL RESTORATION WOULD LOOK LIKE

After relating the parable of the vineyard owner to the unfaithful chief priests and elders, Yeshua summarized its message by stating the following:

Matthew 21:43 – Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits.

To their shame, Israel as a whole no longer carried the Name of God, and Yahweh was beholden to renew his faithful people (the remnant who believed in Messiah) from not only Israel, but from those scattered among the nations at that time. While Yeshua said he was only sent to the lost sheep of Israel (Matthew 15:24), he also knew that he would be reaching out to the scattered remnant of Israel among the diaspora. The diaspora was the dispersion of Israelites that had taken place during the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities hundreds of years earlier during the times of Isaiah and Ezekiel which we reviewed last time. Not all of the Jews had returned to Israel after those captivities; in fact there were contingents of Jewish communities all throughout the Roman empire in Yeshua’s day. Some of them, such as Alexandria and Babylon, were quite large.

John 10:16 – And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.

Yeshua was teaching that he would reunite these “lost tribes” with Judah once again, as was prophesied by God through Ezekiel:

Ezekiel 34:22-23 – I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.
Ezekiel 37:19, 21-24 – say to them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am about to take the stick of Joseph (that is in the hand of Ephraim) and the tribes of Israel associated with him. And I will join with it the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, that they may be one in my hand. … then say to them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms. They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God. “My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes.

This was the urgency with which the disciples preached the message of the Kingdom to that generation, and those spread out throughout the known world via the missionary journeys. The disciples had heard Yeshua issue the “Great Commission” and they ardently strove for the completion of that task.

Matthew 28:18-20 – Yeshua came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Although these passages have spurred many great missionary efforts in the centuries since that time, we read that the apostle Paul says this mission of reaching the known world was actually accomplished within his lifetime, through his ministry and the ministry of the disciples of Messiah within that generation.

Colossians 1:23 – …This gospel has been [past tense] proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.

Additionally, in the process of rescuing the “lost sheep” of Israel, many non-Jewish God-fearers who attended the synagogues and had learned about the God of the Hebrews would also be brought in to the faithful remnant of that generation. This is how God’s Kingdom would grow beyond the nation and scattered communities of Israel into the whole world.

Yeshua had even spoken about how some non-Jews would be in a more righteous position than the wicked Jews of his day.

Matthew 12:41-42 – “The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at Jonah’s preaching; and look – something greater than Jonah is here. “The queen of the south will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look – something greater than Solomon is here.

This teaching implies that Yeshua’s righteous declarations from Yahweh were to be corroborated by the righteous dead from the past, and they would, in a sense, stand in agreement with his decision when judgment was to come upon Israel. Interestingly, he lists Ninevites and the Queen of the South (Sheba) as being witnesses to the righteousness of his teaching, none of whom are Israelites. It follows, then, that even those of the Gentile nations who were obedient to Yahweh and who revered his majesty would be considered righteous in God’s eyes and stand in agreement with the judgment that was about to come upon the nation of Israel.

Acts 10:34-35 – Peter began to speak: “Now I truly understand that God doesn’t show favoritism, “but in every nation the person who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.

Paul hints at this as well:

Romans 9:30 – What should we say then? [those among] the nations who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained righteousness – namely the righteousness that comes from faith.

Romans 10:19-21 – But I ask, “Did Israel not understand? ” First, Moses said, I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation; I will make you angry by a nation that lacks understanding. And Isaiah says boldly, I was found by those who were not looking for me; I revealed myself to those who were not asking for me. But to Israel he says, All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and defiant people.

So those Ninevites who actually repented at Jonah’s preaching, and the Queen of Sheba who glorified Yahweh at the wisdom and majesty of Solomon would be in a position to condemn the Jewish leaders in Yeshua’s day because the Jewish leaders did not accept their own Messiah. These non-Hebrew God-fearers would, in a sense, “stand up” in condemnation upon all in that wicked generation who rejected Messiah. The resurrection of condemnation was upon those who rejected Messiah (those who did wicked things). However, the righteous who had obeyed and glorified Yahweh (those who have done good things) would receive eternal life because of their righteous actions.

This type of language seems to me to imply it was not a literal resurrection that is being talked about in any of these passages, but the language of resurrection is being used to illustrate an historical witness to the truth of Messiah and his teachings which would be demonstrated as judgment came to pass upon the nation of Israel in that generation.

As we have seen, the theme of resurrection is restoration to the inheritance. However, now that eternal life has entered the picture through Daniel and Yeshua’s prophecies, Israel (the righteous remnant inclusive of Messiah-believing God-fearers) is not just being restored to the land, but is being created into something new: the eternal spiritual city of Zion, their true inheritance.

ETERNAL LIFE IN DANIEL

Let’s return to Daniel again, as we need to be reminded of the main thrust of the resurrection Daniel discusses: eternal life. As mentioned earlier, this element of eternal life is what separates Daniel’s prophecy from those of Isaiah and Ezekiel that we reviewed last time. This fact, along with its specific timing and corroboration with Yeshua’s teaching places the representative resurrection/restoration of believers into the sphere of the eternal, and not just a worldly kingdom. The corrupted fleshly city of Jerusalem was about to be transformed into the spiritual city on a hill, the “true light of the world which could not be hidden,” (Matthew 5:14).

Indications given by Yeshua suggest that he is talking beyond just a national restoration to a spiritual one. He connects this resurrection on the last day with eternal life within the Kingdom of God.

John 6:40 – For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.“

That this was to be a spiritual kingdom and not a fleshly one is evidenced by the additional element of eternal life in both Daniel’s prophecy and the teaching of Yeshua on resurrection. Eternal life and principles can only be obtained in a spiritual reality, not a physical kingdom. Everything within this natural world is temporary and subject to decay.

2 Corinthians 4:18 – So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Ezekiel had said the people of Israel would be gathered as “one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel”.

Ezekiel 37:21-22 – “tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Yahweh says: I am going to take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them into their own land. “I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over all of them. They will no longer be two nations and will no longer be divided into two kingdoms.

The truest mountain of Israel is Mount Zion, the prophetic new Jerusalem. The writer of Hebrews illustrated this contrast between Mount Sinai (fleshly Israel) with Mount Zion (spiritual Israel):

Hebrews 12:18, 22-24 – For you have not come to what could be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, gloom, and storm, … Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels, a festive gathering, to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to a Judge, who is God of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect, and to Yeshua, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the blood of Abel.”

Verse 23 says it is on this mountain, Mount Zion, where the “spirits of righteous people” are made perfect. I believe this is a description of the resurrection of the righteous, something which the writer to the Hebrews was saying was accomplished in that day. This could only have come to pass in a spiritual sense, and not a literal, earthly sense.

To carry this idea further, let’s look at the apostle Paul’s writings about resurrection. Yeshua had taught that his Kingdom was a spiritual Kingdom, not an earthly one. When conversing with Pilate before his crucifixion he said the following:

John 18:36 – “My kingdom is not of this world,” said Yeshua. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”

In a similar sense, the apostle Paul taught that flesh and blood could not inherit the true Kingdom.

1 Corinthians 15:50 – What I am saying, brothers, is this: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor can corruption inherit incorruption.

This shows how fleshly Israel could never become the true Kingdom of God; a transformation had to take place. He then goes on to explain the “mystery” of that transformation which was about to take place within that generation.

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 – Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible [judgment will be complete], and we will be changed. For this which is perishable [national Israel] must be clothed with imperishability [the eternal Kingdom], and this which is subject to death must be clothed with immortality. When this perishable is clothed with imperishability, and this which is subject to death is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory.

We have been taught for so long that Paul is talking about individual resurrection bodies here that we have missed the “mystery” of what he is actually describing in this passage. I believe this famous passage of Paul is not describing individual resurrection, but the resurrection of the body of Israel into the body of Messiah; from old man (Adam, of the earth) to Messiah (the man of heaven); from a fleshly, corrupt nation into a spiritual, immortal entity; from old Jerusalem (earthly) to New Jerusalem (heavenly). This is what all of the prophetic pictures were pointing to and was to become the majestic culmination of the work of God in restoring his people to their true inheritance.

1 Corinthians 15:36-37 – …What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And as for what you sow – you are not sowing the body that will be, but only a seed, perhaps of wheat or another grain.

Again, I believe he is not talking about individual bodies, but the seed of national Israel was planted (destroyed) only to become something much more than a seed can be. In order for the seed to sprout, it must die. However, it then nourishes and supports the growth of whatever type of plant will grow out of it.

1 Corinthians 15:22-23, 28 – For just as in Adam [the seed of Israel] all die, so also in Messiah [that which grows out of the seed] all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Messiah, the firstfruits [fruit that comes from a seed]; afterward, at his coming, those who belong to Messiah [the faithful remnant]. … When everything is subject to Messiah, then the Son himself will also be subject to the one who subjected everything to him, so that God may be all in all.

Messiah had said he would pass judgment on that generation, which was accomplished through the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Roman armies. In the process of destroying his enemies, the righteous dead were considered to have received their inheritance (the eternal Kingdom) jointly with the remaining living believers (i.e., the faithful remnant) who were delivered, just as he had said.

This entire process was the outworking of the the resurrection to life and the resurrection to condemnation that both Daniel and Yeshua prophesied. The resurrection of the wicked (that is, the wicked receiving their sentence) was evidenced by the destruction once and for all of the idolatrous nation, where the fruition of all past wickedness was judged in totality. This judgment is where God and his Messiah were vindicated against unfaithful Israel forever.

By contrast, the great resurrection of the righteous was the “mystery” transformation of earthly Israel into the eternal Israel, where all of the righteous from all ages would be united. The New Jerusalem, the great Zion of prophecy, would stand as an eternal habitation of those who would welcome believers in Messiah throughout all ages from that point forward.

In that generation, justice upon the enemies of God and his Messiah (the unfaithful Jews) had been completed and the eternal Kingdom was firmly established. The last days of ancient Israel was when this great judgment and resurrection took place.

SUMMARY

With the wide-ranging scope of all that we have covered in this series so far, let me see if I can somehow begin to pull some of the pieces together to summarize it.

Judgment: The prophecies of collective resurrection always occur with a theme of judgment. When Israel was unfaithful, they were destroyed and removed from the land. In the first century, this culminated in the non-believing Jews who were condemned and destroyed in the fires of Jerusalem’s destruction in 68-70 AD. The wicked dead were considered included in the judgment of that generation.

Restoration: Restoration to the inheritance is the theme of collective resurrection. There was always a faithful remnant who would become reestablished to their inheritance. In the first century, the faithful remnant of Israel (those who believed in Messiah) were collected from among the nations. The two sticks became one; the lost sheep were found. But their inheritance was no longer the physical land, but a spiritual inheritance. All of the righteous share in this inheritance.

Eternal life: The prophecy of Daniel and the teachings of Yeshua agree that a collective resurrection in the last days of the nation of ancient Israel would culminate not just in restoration to the land, but in eternal life. This life was granted to all who believed, and extended into the age to come beyond death, what Yeshua also calls the resurrection.

The resurrection written by Paul: the body (fleshly Israel) died and was resurrected into spiritual Israel as prophetic Zion. The resurrection body (of believers) grew from the seed of Israel into the eternal city on the hill, the new Jerusalem.

The spiritual and eternal nature of this Kingdom will be emphasized further in our next installment in this resurrection series as we look at the implications of the most famous resurrection in all of history: the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah.

Well, with everything we’ve covered today, I’m hoping there’s at least a couple of concepts and ideas to meditate on and to study out further on your own. But remember, if you have thoughts or comments that you would like to explore further with me, feel free to email me at coreofthebible@gmail.com.

The ever-expanding reality of the eternal kingdom of God

The eternal kingdom of God, while starting from a small, single point will ultimately spread to consume the whole world.

Core of the Bible podcast #37 – The ever-expanding reality of the eternal kingdom of God

Today we will be exploring the topic of the kingdom, and how the eternal kingdom of God, while starting from a small, single point will ultimately spread to consume the whole world.

Yeshua stated it this way:

Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: which indeed is less than all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Another parable spoke he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened. Matthew 13:31-33

These two parables of Yeshua are illustrating the same picture: the kingdom is something that begins small and becomes larger and larger until it is all inclusive. This is one of the grand principles of all Creation: everything begins small and then grows to its mature state. Animals, plants, people; all things exemplify this principle.

Concepts and ideals are no different. We even use this terminology when speaking about some new trend or idea which began as a “germ” or a “spark” and then became massively widespread or “went viral.”

Yeshua is teaching us that the Kingdom of God operates in the same way, not because it isn’t special or unique, but because it is to follow the natural trajectory of every thing introduced into this Creation.

Most Christians today might say they believe the kingdom of God began with Messiah, and it began its spread throughout the world at that time.

Matthew 28:18-20 – Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, “teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

While that was definitely a springboard to the nations, the Bible actually traces the trajectory of the kingdom much farther back in history, all the way back to Adam and Eve “ruling” over Creation. Let’s trace this kingdom narrative to see how God has operated throughout the millennia to teach us about his eternal realm of righteousness.

Genesis 1:28 – God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”

This was the earliest realization of mankind ruling as God’s image over the Creation that God had provided. However, once that era had passed, God continued to move the kingdom ideal forward through the stories of Noah and Abraham. The majority was bypassed, and only a faithful remnant was chosen.

Genesis 6:17-18 – “Understand that I am bringing a flood – floodwaters on the earth to destroy every creature under heaven with the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. “But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark with your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives.

Genesis 9:1-2 – God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. “The fear and terror of you will be in every living creature on the earth, every bird of the sky, every creature that crawls on the ground, and all the fish of the sea. They are placed under your authority.

After Noah’s descendants had begun to re-populate the land and men began to spread throughout the earth, God once again chose another “branch” through which his kingdom would be realized, the man Abram. Again, the majority was bypassed, and a faithful remnant was chosen.

Genesis 12:1-3 – The LORD said to Abram: Go out from your land, your relatives, and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, I will curse anyone who treats you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

Genesis 17:5-6 – “Your name will no longer be Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations. “I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you.

From Abraham came Isaac and then Jacob and his twelve sons. The majority of Abraham’s descendants had been bypassed, and a faithful remnant was chosen.

This family group became attached to Egypt through one of the twelve sons, Joseph, who became Pharaoh’s prince-regent. Once in Egypt, this family group continued to grow to become an independent nation within a nation.

From the slavery of Egypt, the kingdom narrative then gravitates toward Moses and this chosen group of people that God claims as his own: Israel.

Exodus 3:9-10 – “So because the Israelites’ cry for help has come to me, and I have also seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them, “therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

Upon their dramatic departure, the majority of individuals in Egypt is bypassed, and the faithful remnant is chosen. They are led out into the desert of Sinai, where they arrive at the mountain of God.

Exodus 19:3-6 – Moses went up the mountain to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain: “This is what you must say to the house of Jacob and explain to the Israelites: “‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. “Now if you will carefully listen to me and keep my covenant, you will be my own possession out of all the peoples, although the whole earth is mine, “and you will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to say to the Israelites.”

As mentioned in previous teachings, this is actually the first mention in Scripture of an actual kingdom, a kingdom of priests and a holy, or set apart, nation.

Now that God has grown his own people to this magnitude, he begins to mold and shape them into his representative people through the giving of the Law, the Ten Commandments, and the covenant of Sinai. Through the remainder of the Bible narrative, the natural kingdom era of Israel is the focus of God’s interaction with mankind, the chosen people among the many nations of the world.

This natural kingdom had peaked with David and Solomon. After the demise of Solomon, the kingdom became divided and they were led through the Assyrian and Babylonian captivities. Ultimately, this natural kingdom of God drew its way through the various subjugations of Persia, Greece, and Egypt, up to the Roman occupation. Under these various captivities and regional rulerships, the larger group of Israel had become complacent, corrupt, and scattered throughout the known world. It was time for God to bypass the majority once again and focus on a new branch, a new faithful remnant, for his continuing mission of the kingdom.

From within the faithful remnant of Israel at that time came forth Messiah Yeshua. He introduced the radical element of the culmination of God’s kingdom work with his chosen people: it was to be a leap to the next level, i.e., a spiritual and universal kingdom, that would take place after the judgment of God’s earthly people. This was prophesied to take place within the generation of those to whom Messiah brought his message, through what would become the destruction of Jerusalem and Israel as an independent nation in 70 AD. Finally, God’s kingdom could now be free to include all people and nations, and it continues to spread exponentially throughout the entire world.

Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

It is here that the seed which was planted among the nations had begun to sprout and grow. The seeds of the Word of God had spread to the Israelites among the nations through the missionary travels of the apostles and were beginning to bear fruit. With the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, the people of God had broken outside the confines of national Israel, and the branches of God’s new spiritual kingdom were spreading across the face of the earth, drawing nourishment from the rich stump of the Israelite scriptures and the Torah of God.

Romans 11:17 – Now if some of the branches [Israelites] were broken off, and you [of the nations], though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them and have come to share in the rich root of the cultivated olive tree [Israel]…

As we can see through all of these examples from Adam and Eve up until the Messiah and his disciples, one of the overarching themes of the Bible is how God is tirelessly patient and persistent, beginning with individuals or small groups, and molding and shaping them to become the next phase of the kingdom, the next branch on the tree, the next batch of dough that continues to rise. This is how we can be confident the kingdom will continue to grow until “all is leavened.”

Today, those of us who believe in Messiah and in the eternal, ever-expanding kingdom of God should be viewing ourselves as a branch or branches within the multi-tiered expansion of God’s never-ending kingdom. The Bible teaches us that this kingdom will never end; it will never have to be re-started as God has done in the past with each of his faithful remnants. It will continue to grow “until all is leavened,” just as Yeshua prophesied.

Psalm 145:9-13 – The LORD is good to everyone; his compassion rests on all he has made. All you have made will thank you, LORD; the faithful will bless you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom and will declare your might, informing all people of your mighty acts and of the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your rule is for all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his actions.

Daniel 2:44 – “In the days of those kings [the fourth kingdom of Daniel’s prophecy, the Roman empire], the God of the heavens will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not be left to another people. It will crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever.

Daniel 7:27 – “The kingdom, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey him.’

And yet, popular within the halls of congregations today, is a mentality that insists things are so bad in society that God is preparing to take his people, his kingdom people, from the earth. The biblical response to that type of misguided thinking is that if the darkness is so great, then this is the very time the kingdom people need to shine. We shouldn’t be preparing to leave, but we should be establishing deep roots of righteousness that will survive our brief time here on this earth as we continue to build upon the foundations of the apostles and the prophets. Our lives may be transient, but God’s kingdom clearly is not. If we can take the baton of this eternal relay further down the track, then we will have fulfilled our role within this generation.

The prophet Jeremiah fought a similar battle among God’s people when they were taken captive to Babylon. God had revealed to Jeremiah that Israel would be captive there for at least 70 years.

Jeremiah 25:2, 8, 11 – The prophet Jeremiah spoke concerning all the people of Judah and all the residents of Jerusalem as follows: … “Therefore, this is what the LORD of Armies says: ‘Because you have not obeyed my words, … “This whole land will become a desolate ruin, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.

Yet, even after they were taken captive, the people sought word from false prophets like Hananiah that they would be returning to their homeland soon. Hananiah had proclaimed:

Jeremiah 28:2-4 – “This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. “Within two years I will restore to this place all the articles of the LORD’s temple that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took from here and transported to Babylon. “And I will restore to this place Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon’ – this is the LORD’s declaration – ’for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’ “

In response to this false prophecy, Jeremiah replied that “As for the prophet who prophesies peace – only when the word of the prophet comes true will the prophet be recognized as one the LORD has truly sent,” Jeremiah 28:9. In verses 15-17, he continued to correct Hananiah, “The prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD did not send you, but you have led these people to trust in a lie. “Therefore, this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to send you off the face of the earth. You will die this year because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.’ ” And the prophet Hananiah died that year in the seventh month.”

Instead of preparing the people to leave the place of their captivity return to Israel, Jeremiah encouraged them to put roots down in that foreign place, a place where they were considered aliens and strangers.

Jeremiah 29:4-10 – “This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon: ‘Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce. Find wives for yourselves, and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease. Pursue the well-being of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the LORD on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive. For this is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: ‘Don’t let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you, and don’t listen to the dreams you elicit from them, ‘for they are prophesying falsely to you in my name. I have not sent them.’ This is the LORD’s declaration. For this is what the LORD says: ‘When seventy years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm my promise concerning you to restore you to this place.'”

Just as Jeremiah had to redirect God’s people to the reality of their situation, it appears that God’s people today are in a similar condition. They have been listening to false teachers for so long that they have not been able to distinguish the truth of the eternal kingdom of God from the lie of immanent removal from the earth. Instead of preparing to leave, we should be putting down our roots and living respectfully among these foreign lands of our brief sojourn on this earth. We should be building and growing and establishing God’s kingdom, not packing to leave. God has decreed that his kingdom will fill the earth. When that happens, he will be “all in all.” This is the end-goal of the entire Bible message, the message of the kingdom that has been played out over and over through those whom God has chosen as his own.

The eternal spiritual kingdom of God has been behind every natural iteration that God has produced as examples for us. This was even recognized by Nebuchadnezzar after being released from a seven-year bout of madness as a judgment from God upon his pride.

Daniel 4:1-3, 34 – King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation. … At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation…”

From the mouth of a foreign ruler comes the praise of the eternal God of Israel and his everlasting kingdom!

Since this is the reality of all things that has not yet fully come to pass in our natural world, we must recognize our role in following the traditions of the faithful before us, and reaching out to each contemporary generation until the fullness of this promise comes to pass. Our mission is to continue to grow the kingdom among us, his dwelling place through his Spirit.

Ephesians 2:19-22 – So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone. In him the whole building, being put together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you are also being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

The principle of the Great Commission, the “making disciples of all nations,” does not have an expiration date. God desires that all people come to know him, to come to an understanding of the truth.

1 Timothy 2:1-4 – First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Instead of decrying the injustice around us, the injustice that has existed in every generation, we should be praying for those who are so misguided and causing detriment to our societies through their godless perspectives. Our role as believers is not to win elections but to magnify God and win hearts for him. When hearts are changed by God’s Spirit, his kingdom organically expands, and the rest will follow. Since a world of people in awe of God’s majesty is the foregone conclusion of all history, why are we standing in the way of the fulfillment of these sure prophecies?

“Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; truth has gone from my mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow to me, every tongue will swear allegiance. It will be said about me, ‘Righteousness and strength are found only in the LORD.’ ” All who are enraged against him will come to him and be put to shame.” Isaiah 45:22-24

For God’s eternal kingdom to prosper and continue to fill the earth, we must allow God to be recognized as the ruler of all kingdoms, and for people to turn to him. This can only happen as he is magnified among us through our righteous actions and our diligent prayers for those hearts to become subject to his eternal rule and reign. May we be bold and resourceful in fulfilling this obligation, that we may be faithful in our generation to continue the ever-expanding kingdom of God.

If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive at https://core-of-the-bible.simplecast.com/ or your favorite podcast streaming service. Questions or comments? Feel free to email me directly at coreofthebible@gmail.com.